A prolific shoplifter has been spared jail despite being caught red-handed stealing from a Co-Op supermarket for the sixth time.
Ricky Tinsley, 40, was spotted by an officer walking out of a Co-Op with bags full of stolen goods on Saturday afternoon.
CCTV shows him walk straight into police officer PC Johnny Hobbs who was patrolling on an electric bike.
The eagle-eyed cop recognised the notorious crook, who was wanted for failing to turn up at court for a previous offence, and gave chase.
The video shows Tinsley panic and drop the stolen goods before fleeing on foot.
Ricky Tinsley, 40, has been caught stealing from this Co-Op in Bestwood, Nottingham, six times
He was spotted by an officer walking out of a Co-Op with bags full of stolen goods on Saturday afternoon
PC Hobbs caught up with Tinsley moments later following the incident at the Co-op in Bestwood, Nottingham.
The footage shows Tinsley being marched back into the store by the police officer.
Shockingly, it was the sixth time he had targeted the shop in Beckhampton Road between November last year and this month.
He also stole from another shop on the same street on January 24.
The cop recognised the notorious crook, who was wanted for failing to turn up at court for a previous offence, and gave chase. CCTV shows Tinsley panic and drop the stolen goods before fleeing on foot
PC Hobbs caught up with Tinsley moments later following the incident
The footage shows Tinsley being marched back into the store by the police officer
He pleaded guilty to seven counts of theft and one count of failing to surrender to custody and was sentenced to 18 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months
Tinsley was wanted for failing to appear at court for some of the thefts when he was spotted by the neighbourhood policing team officer.
Following his arrest, he was slapped with a community protection notice for frequent antisocial behaviour (ASB) at a property in Townsend Court, Top Valley.
As part of these conditions, he has been banned from being in the complex at any point between 9pm and 9am, until February 1, 2025.
Tinsley, formerly of Ranskill Gardens, Top Valley, appeared at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on Monday.
He pleaded guilty to seven counts of theft and one count of failing to surrender to custody and was sentenced to 18 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months.
He was also ordered to complete a six-month drug rehabilitation requirement programme, as well as 10 rehabilitation activity requirement days.
Sergeant Katie Taylor, of Nottinghamshire Police’s Bestwood neighbourhood policing team, said: ‘Our officer showed fantastic awareness of the situation unfolding around them by stopping a theft that was in progress.
‘This incident provided a great example of the importance of the patrols we carry out in our neighbourhoods, whether that be in the squad cars, out on foot, or – in this case – on a bike.
‘By being out on the streets, PC Hobbs was able to recognise a known shoplifter in the Bestwood area and take immediate action to ensure they didn’t get away.
‘As a result of this, we were able to bring Tinsley before the courts for the thefts, while also securing a community protection notice against him for making life a misery for his neighbours through frequent ASB too.’
This latest shoplifting footage comes after security guards at a Sainsbury’s in Brighton caught a suspected shoplifter thought to be trying to flee the store with a bag full of goods.
Another prolific thief was caught on CCTV going on a shoplifting spree at several shops including Co-op and Poundland in Ortongate shopping centre in Cambridgeshire.
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